Tiny Town’s Council Ballot Is A Tad Sparse

How many politicians does a town of 250 people need?

Three more, at least. Only two candidates have signed up to run for the five-member Town Council in fall elections.

Town Clerk Pat Ackerman waited in vain for somebody else to show up at her office Friday afternoon, at the end of a weeklong grace period to let people file for the unclaimed seats.

“It’s just the way it is around here,” Ackerman said. “If we don’t get enough for a quorum, we’ll drag somebody off the street and make them a council member. Under protest, perhaps, but we’ll have a council.”

A lack of leaders is nothing new in the small town nestled against the Cascades along U.S. 2 in northeast King County.

In 1989, nobody filed for mayor, and in 1991 residents passed on four council slots and the mayor’s job. Eventually people stepped forward or the incumbents agreed to remain on the job.

This year, only one person signed up in the regular filing period, incumbent Tena Tarantino. An incumbent who was appointed, John Green, filed Tuesday during the grace period.

Green said the job is thankless: There is no pay for council or school board positions and no slack from fellow residents.

“It’s not easy sitting around that table and keeping calm while people are getting mad at you,” said Green, who operates a gas station.

Former Mayor Charlie Brown, owner of the Whistling Post tavern, said most people enjoy the slow pace of life in Skykomish and don’t worry about government unless it does something to rile them.

“The big word is apathy,” said Brown.

Rex Bakel, who owns an antiquestove refurbishing business, said he has served four years and will not run again because it’s time for somebody else to step forward.

“It’s kind of a hot seat,” he said.

That’s because of a clash between newer residents, who had been pushing to have parts of the town turned into a historic district, and older residents who don’t want the change.